Sunday, August 30, 2009

Australians use wood for hundreds of different things. But where does this wood come from? Is your beautiful dining room table the stolen home of an Orang-utan? Is your wood decking responsible for climate change? .

Australia imports products made from timber that is illegally harvested from the Paradise Forests of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Solomon Islands. This rampant and unregulated illegal logging is linked to corruption, environmental destruction and loss of livelihood for forest communities.

We now have the ability to make informed decisions when buying wood and knowing where it comes from...in other words, you can choose Good Wood.

Good Wood comes from ethically and ecologically sustainable sources. Buying Good Wood tells companies there is no market for illegal and destructive timber and forces them to act responsibly.

Click here to listen to the interview with Reece Turner - Forests and Whaling Campaigner for Greenpeace Australia.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

The pygmy hippopotamus is a mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa. The pygmy hippo is reclusive and noctural. It is one of only two extant species in the Hippopotamidae family, the other being its much larger cousin the common hippopotamus.

Pygmy Hippos are classified as being ‘vulnerable’, which is just one step from an endangered classification. Therefore the birth of Monifa at Toronga Zoo was an exciting event.

Check out Monifa at Toronga taking her first swim.

Nine-month-old Pygmy Hippo ‘Monifa’ has now arrived at Melbourne Zoo, leaving her birthplace at Taronga Zoo.

Melbourne Zoo Director Kevin Tanner says ‘Monifa’s birth is a significant contribution to the regional breeding program for Pygmy Hippopotamus, a species with as few as 3,000 individuals surviving in the wild.

‘We are especially delighted to welcome Monifa, as she is the first offspring of Timmy, a long-time favourite of our visitors and staff.’

Monifa’s survival was in the balance at first, so keepers had to step in and hand-raise her, which included providing bottles round the clock.

The calf’s very shaky start in life is reflected in her name: Monifa means ‘I am lucky’ in a Nigerian language.

From being a tiny and frail 3.8kg when she was born last October, Monifa is now a healthy 65kg, thanks to such dedicated care

She no longer needs to be bottle-fed, enjoying a variety of solids, such as endive, lettuce, carrot, apple, lucerne hay, and other fruit, vegetables, and grains.

Click here to listen to the interview with Senior Keeper Sheila Roe at Melbourne Zoo.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Peter Singer is an Australian philosopher. He is the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University, and laureate professor at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (CAPPE), University of Melbourne.

Specialising in applied ethics, after writing his book “Animal Liberation” he is seen as being one of the movers and shakers of the modern animal liberation movement.

He has written many books including the titles:• Democracy and Disobedience• Should The Baby Live?• How Are We To Live?• One World, The Ethics of GlobalizationAnd The President of Good and Evil – The Ethics of George W. Bush

Adam says "I personally became aware of Peter Singer’s work when a friend lent me their copy of another of his titles The Ethics of What We Eat. I felt it covered vital topics that are unknown to the majority of people".

Peter Singer took time to discuss his book and other projects.Click here to listen to the interview.